ANGOLA PEACE: SANT'EGIDIO FORWARDS UNITA PROPOSAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L VATICAN 004030 SIPDIS DEPT. FOR: EUR/WE (SDEAN); AF/S (DELISA, KUSNITZ) FROM EMBASSY VATICAN/MESSAGE NO. 128/01 E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/11 TAGS: PREL PGOV AN VT SUBJECT: ANGOLA PEACE: SANT'EGIDIO FORWARDS UNITA PROPOSAL CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE JOSEPH MERANTE, REASONS E.O. 12958 (B),(D). ¶1. (U) THIS CABLE CONTAINS A GUIDANCE REQUEST -- PLEASE SEE PARA FOUR. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 VATICA 04030 011305Z ¶2. (C) SANT'EGIDIO COMMUNITY SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR AND SOMETIME AFRICAN-CONFLICT-MEDIATOR DON MATTEO ZUPPI ASKED CHARGE AND A/DCM TO COFFEE 7/30 TO SEEK USG VIEWS AND SUPPORT FOR PROPOSAL TO REINVIGORATE PROCESS FOR ANGOLA PEACE. DON MATTEO SAID HE HAD BEEN APPROACHED BY AN UNNAMED "GOOD CONTACT" IN UNITA WHO HAD SHARED A PROPOSAL FOR STOPPING HOSTILITIES AND INITIATING MEDIATION. DON MATTEO SAID THE UNITA OFFICIAL PROPOSED THAT SANT'EGIDIO HOST A SMALL "SECRET" MEETING OF UNITA AND GOA REPRESENTATIVES AT SANT'EGIDIO HEADQUARTERS IN ROME. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING WOULD BE TO ESTABLISH THE FRAMEWORK FOR A CEASEFIRE, AFTER WHICH UNITA WOULD BE WILLING TO ENTER INTO A BROADER MEDIATION FOR DISARMAMENT AND RECONCILIATION. DON MATTEO ASKED FOR USG VIEWS, BUT PARTICULARLY WANTED THE USG TO GAIN GOA BLESSING FOR THIS INITIAL MEETING IN ROME. HE SAID THAT, WITH PRESIDENT DOS SANTOS' AGREEMENT, THE FIRST MEETING COULD TAKE PLACE AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: AS LONG-TIME AFRICA WATCHERS KNOW, SANT'EGIDIO HAS A PROVEN BUT FADING TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESSFUL CONFLICT MEDIATION IN AFRICA, HAVING FACILITATED THE END TO MOZAMBIQUE'S CIVIL WAR IN 1990-92. EVER SINCE, SANT'EGIDIO HAS SOUGHT, BUT FAILED, TO DUPLICATE THAT SUCCESS BY HELPING RESOLVE SOME OTHER INTER-COMMUNAL CONFLICT. DON MATTEO HIMSELF REMAINS VERY ACTIVE IN AFRICAN AFFAIRS, MOST RECENTLY HAVING BEEN PROMOTED BY US SPECIAL ENVOY WOLPE FOR A ROLE IN DRC CONFLICT MEDIATION. POST HAS FOUND SANT'EGIDIO TO BE A USEFUL INTERLOCUTOR -- THEY FREQUENTLY TRAVEL TO PLACES AND TALK WITH PEOPLE THAT THE USG HAS LIMITED ABILITY TO REACH. CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 VATICA 04030 011305Z ¶4. (C) GUIDANCE REQUEST: POST WOULD APPRECIATE ANY GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT MAY WISH TO PROVIDE IN RESPONDING TO DON MATTEO. WE HAVE TOLD HIM THAT WE WOULD GET BACK TO HIM ASAP. MERANTE CONFIDENTIAL > 2001VATICA04030 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL